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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!

Fraud email example:

From: Peter Zeck <peterzeck2006@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2007 04:34:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE:{Disarmed} CONGRATULATIONS!!


Dear Winner,
I am Mr.PETER ZECK the fiduciary/claims
agent assigned to your case. I wish to Congratulate
you on your winning, you are a lucky person to have
won this
five hundred thousand US DOLLARS ($500,000 USDOLLARS)
.
THIS PROGRAM IS BEEN DONE EVERY THREE YEARS AND WE NORMALLY HAVE JUST TWO WINNERS EACH TIME THIS EXERCISE IS DONE.
Your email address was amongst those chosen this
quarter from our new java-based software that
randomlyselects email addresses from the web from
which winners are
selected. You are required to forward the following
details to help facilitate the processing of your file
and certificate which will facilitate the release of
your $500,000.00.USD
1. Full names.
2. Phone number.
3. Fax number.
4. Occupation.
5. Sex.
6. Age.
7. Nationality.
8.Your residential address
Once again, congratulations.
Sincerely,
Mr.PETER ZECK,
(Claims Agent)


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam